Slumping Schoop aims to 'step up my game'

Schoop's first hit as a Brewer MILWAUKEE -- Manny Machado has texted him in the past day or so. So have other former Orioles teammates, like Adam Jones and Tim Beckham. Orioles coaches have reached out, too.

They all say essentially the same thing to help Jonathan Schoop cope with an unproductive start to his Brewers career.

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"You know you're good," Schoop said Machado told him in a text. "You know you can do it, because you did it already, so don't press. Go out there and have fun. You have a really good team, so compete. You're at your best when you just have fun out there."

Easier said than done, Schoop admitted.

Brewers manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday was a…